The Lord of the Rings: Aerin's Story

Mountain side part one

ON THE SNOWY MOUNTAINSIDE.

The fellowship clamber through rock and snow.

We began our long trek up the mountain side Legolas and Aerin leading the way with Gandalf up in front. Then Sam, Pippin, Merry and Gimli behind them, then Boromir, Frodo behind him and at last Aragorn.

Frodo slips on some shale as he scrambles to his feet while Aragorn helps Frodo to get up again. Frodo is desperately looking for the ring but can't find it around his neck anymore and he is panicking. The ring is gleaming in the snow! and Boromir's hand picks it up by the chain. He stands, the ring dangling before his eyes and he seems to grow in stature, as if absorbing its power. Aragorn warily approaches Boromir Frodo still in front of him, but Boromir is motionless he stares at the ring as if transfixed. "Boromir?" Aragorn ask warily. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing , such a little thing" Boromir says as he is still looking at the small object. "Boromir give the Ring back to Frodo" Aragorn's hand moves to his sword hilt, while Aerin has her bow ready just in case it was necessary. A weird beatific smile lights up on Boromir's face, the hum grows to a deafening roar!

"Boromir!" Aerin called out loud. This was the loudest they'd heard Aerin while they were on their way, but it seemed to be breaking Boromir's trans

Boromir suddenly snaps out of his trance and hands the ring back to Frodo "As you wish. I care not" Boromir smiles at Frodo and ruffle his hair before walking away. Aragorn lets go of the hilt of his sword and Aerin places her bow back on her back. Legolas looks at her and with a raised eyebrow "What?" asks Aerin when she sees his look. Legolas shakes his head and says "nothing" and starts walking again.

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In the meen time in Isengard:

The crows fly as they race deeper and deeper in a tunnel, passing a vista of industry, hundreds of orcs and writhing birth marks, flying past Saruman, who stands upon a wooden gantry. He is listening to the cries of the crows with a evil smile. "So, Gandalf, you try to lead them over Caradhras. And if that fails, where then will you go?" Having an idea Saruman begins to walk back to his tower to prepare.

"If the mountain defeats you, will you risk a more dangerous road?" he laughed.

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Back at the fellowship:

The fellowship is struggling through a blinding blizzard, up towards the pass of Caradhras. Legolas and Aerin moves lightly across the top of the snow, because of their light weight they can walk on the snow while the others have to struggle through the snow. Suddenly Aerin pauses and looks around before looking in a direction "There is a fell voice in the wind" she says out loud. Legolas stands closer to her and hears it too before he can speak Gandalf replies. "It's Saruman" Gandalf starts to recall in a chant "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i ruith" but it doesn't seem to work.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain. Gandalf! We must turn back!" Aragorn yells to Gandalf. But Gandalf doe snot want that "No" Gandalf raises his staff en he chants into the wind again "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i ruith" (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath).

Thunder rumbles, rock and shale fall from above. Aerin pulls Gandalf and Legolas to safety against the wall of the mountain, Aragorn shields Frodo and Sam, Boromir shields Pippin and Merry as snow piles around them. Within moments the pass is blocked and the fellowship are enveloped in snow. Boromir and Aragorn frantically dig for the Hobbits, who are pulled out shivering and fearful.

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Aerin POV

When I open my eyes all I can see is darkness, I panic slightly when I don't know where I am. Then I remember snow falling on the group and pushing Gandalf and Legolas towards the mountain side. Near my hands I feel some clothes and as I bring myself closer to it I smell the scent of forest knowing that, that must be Legolas. Legolas is the first of us above the snow and helps me out too. "Hannon le" I say to him with a smile. "Hannon le an pulling nin awaui uin pel (for pulling me away from the edge)" Legolas says back with a similar smile. Shivering a little 'okay, I don't have to go through that again' I think to myself and give my attention to the rest when Boromir starts yelling.

"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city!" Boromir calls to Gandalf but Aragorn respond back before Gandalf can "The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard".

"If we cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria" Gimli says hopeful.

"Let the Ring-bearer decide" Gandalf speaks finally not really knowing what to do now. He knows that this road is not survivable in this storm and if Saruman works against them. The road to Rohan is not safe either, but he thinks going through Moria is the worst. What the dwarves dug up there...

The weight of the decision weighing heavily upon Frodo he looked around and saw Merry and Pippin shivering in Boromir's arms, Sam next to him in Aragorn's arms. "We will go through the mines" says Frodo in the end. Gandalf slowly nods, "so be it".

"Mithrandir?" Aerin asks anxiously, knowing what is lurking in the depths of Moria. Gandalf just looks sternly to Aerin and Aerin knows when to shut her mouth but becoming afraid of what is to come.

As the mountain became smaller in the distance, the walls of Moria grew larger along with the shadow it casted across the land. It soon became a swamp like with low hanging trees and moss draping off the branches. As we drew closer the sense of dread began to grow within my heart. I could see it. I stopped dead in my tracks without noticing myself and closed my eyes, I could see and hear the sword clashing, the cries of battle, dwarfs and orcs so much dead had been her. I hadn't realized I stopped until Aragorn spoke from close before me.

"Lady Aerin, are you alright?" Aragorn asked me as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I am shocked out from my trans and looked at Gandalf seeing he and the rest of our group are watching me.

"A great battle once took place here, didn't it Mithrandir? A battle between Dwarfs and Orcs?" I almost whisper still slightly in shock at what I saw before me.

"Yes Aerin, You are correct. A long time ago there was a big battle here". Gandalf says and turns around to walk again. By now everyone was looking at me waiting for an explanation. I looked at Aragorn and Legolas who are closest to me and give them a small smile while feeling the tears starting to come in my eyes and want to walk away before they saw "Are you really okay Lady Aerin?" Aragorn asks seeing my wet eyes. "Yes my lord Aragorn, I am okay" I replied hasty and swallow once. "How did you know about the battle?" asked Legolas who walked after me now and was now looking at me concerned to. To that question Aragorn looked at me again. "I don't know how, I felt it and then I heard and saw what happened here" I said with a shiver running down my spine "Sometimes I come to a place and I know what happened there. Even if I wish I didn't wish to know that sometimes" not knowing how to go further I began to walk again, feeling the eyes of Aragorn and Legolas burning in my back.

The fellowship makes their way in the shadow of the ruins of a great aqueduct in the mist and ice of the mountains.

"Frodo, come and help an old man" Gandalf says. Frodo comes forward and allows Gandalf to lean on him. "How is your shoulder, my dear Frodo?".

"Better than it was" Frodo replied. "good, good" Gandalf replies. "If anything, report it to Aerin for she is a formidable healer" Frodo nodded "I will"

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Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other after Aerin had walked on "I've heard about elves who can see into the future just like Lord Elrond" began Legolas looking at Aerin who had now walked forward "But never met anyone who could see the past Aragorn was just as surprised as Legolas. "I don't think it's a nice sight to see all that violence and so many dead again" Aragorn said before the two started walking again after the group.